Which Witch is Which
"Me this place is backwards..." a young man scoffed to himself as he looked at Trialles, a village on the island of Salem, a large island near the center of West Blue. Home to the Puritan Kingdom, the island was known for its incredibly conservative inhabitants and all together... quaint customs. "Here I thought Home was a place where whispers ran wild, but it's got nothing on this place, I swear they only talk in them..." he continued, walking down the street as hushed looks and glares poured across him and his strange attire, only for the people to rush away when they noticed the twin swords upon his hips. One look from Linus at their scurrying forms quickly told him that this probably wasn't an island he should linger on, though his need for supplies and a chance to stretch his legs meant that he had to stop for at least a day or two. At least he had learned from last time and left Solo with the boat to make sure it wasn't stolen this time. After all, Torvalds D. Linus may be a bit reckless, but he was far from stupid. "Now, where's a tavern, gotta find out where the best place to buy some supplies is in this place..." He said, unconcerned at the surrounding townsfolk. "Ah, that place looks promising." He said before walking to one of the larger buildings, entering the saloon unaware that more than a few people had reported his presence to the local military. Upon entering the tavern, Linus was treated to the sound of silence as there were very few people who were within the place of business at this time of day. The atmosphere was heavy as those who were seated turned their attention towards him, staring at him with a critical eye. It was clear they were cautious of him due to the unfamiliar nature of his attire and weaponry. As Linus approached the bar, the patrons lowered their heads but kept their gaze on him in the event he tried something. The bartender, who was a large scruffy man, slid a mug of ale down the bar towards a waiting patron before turning his attention towards Linus. Unlike those who looked at the young man with weary eyes, the bartender's gaze displayed a feeling of neutrality, almost uncaring to the whole situation. Nonetheless, he gave a nod to the lad and spoke in a gruff voice. "Ain't seen you around here before. I'll take a shot in the dark and assume you just rolled in?" "Yeah," Linus nodded simply to the bartender, ignoring the other patrons, "Just a quick layover before I head to Ulster. The ship isn't big enough to carry supplies from Les Camps to the place." He shrugged before looking around, "Just need a day or two to stretch my legs while I purchase enough supplies to make the rest of the trip. Then I'll be gone." He pulled out half a dozen 100 notes and placed them on the table before he sat down at the bar, "Don't suppose this would be enough to cover something to eat and directions to the nearest market, would it?" Glancing at the currency, the bartender collected the notes and placed a menu for the traveler to order off of. Pulling out a mug of ice-cold water, he placed it in front of Linus with a gruff voice. "Water is on the house, no charge. Just tell me your order when you are ready." He reached into his apron, pulling out a notepad and pen to take his order. "The nearest market is about five minutes' walk from here if you head west. I suggest you grab what you need and head out of here for your own sake, boy." "I'll just get the house special," Linus said as he sat down the menu and took a drink of the water. "I don't plan on staying that long, but I'm not worried, I can handle myself well enough. I do appreciate the information however, I'll probably head there after lunch," He responded as he flashed a grin. "Plus, it's not like it's a crime to visit this island or anything, right?" The bartender was unable to prevent himself from scoffing at Linus's words, cooking the bacon for the house special as the delicious fumes entered the air. "That's exactly what I'm saying, lad. This place is very behind and the people here can be paranoid." Laying down two pieces of bread, he continued the conversation. "The Puritan Knights here will approach outsiders to shake them down and even slap on a false charge to ya. Almost happened to me if my cousin hadn't stepped in and vouched for me." As he finished making the sandwich and placed a bowl of chips next to it, he passed the meal towards Linus and rested his arm on the counter. "So, trust me when I say you should grab your shit and get out of here." "All right, I'll conduct my business quickly," Linus shrugged before taking a bite of his sandwich "Shouldn't take me long to grab everything. Though tell me, any reason these knights are so aggressive or are they just bitchy?" Suddenly, the door of the bar was burst open as several knights entered the establishment as they began to secure the area, causing the seated customers to leap up in panic and quickly leave through whatever means necessary. It was clear they had no desire to be caught within the path of knights. As the knights finished setting up securing the bar, a blonde woman with pale skin and golden eyes entered the bar. Wearing a more elaborate rendition of the armor worn by the surrounding knights, it was clear she was a figure of authority amongst them. Her eyes swept over the bar, examing everything within the place of business before settling her cold gaze on Linus. Her face, which was once stoic, shifted as her lips formed a frown as she spoke. "We are not aggressive nor are we 'just bitchy' as you choose to label us. We are the defenders of this glorious village and we will protect it no matter what the cost is." The woman rested her hand on the blade attached to her waist, looking for any hostile movement within Linus. "Especially from outsiders." "Clearly then you should have better things to do beyond harassing a random traveler trying to eat a sandwich in peace." Linus said before taking a bite of his lunch. The young man lazily spun his stool around to face the armored knights, sandwich still on hand. A sharp bit in his heel scratched into the floor as he stopped and leaned back against the bar. He looked up and down all of the knights, his eyes resting on the commander, "Ah... An Ice Queen." Linus mumbled to himself before speaking louder, "So, Ice Queen. Mind if I call you Ice Queen?" He said before pausing a second, "I'm just here to get something to eat and buy supplies for the next leg of my trip, and here you are harassing me. Unless you force it, I'm not here to cause any trouble." He continued before taking another bite of his sandwich. "So Ice Queen, I'll just tell you now, this really isn't worth your time. And you and your men should just turn around, and leave me alone. Then there won't be no trouble. And I don't think either of us wants that." "How dare you sully the name of the Knight Commander on your tongue, you insolent outsider!" Before the Knight Commander could respond, one of her knights stepped forward in anger at the disrespect towards his superior. Drawing his blade forth in a flash of steel, the man grasped the weapon with both hands and swung directly at Linus to cleave him in two. However, as the blade neared the outsider, it bounced back as though it hit an invisible barrier and sent the knight who attacked tumbling into a nearby table. "Did you see that?!" "Ay, some sort of defense. Like a wall or something." "He’s a witch!" "Bollocks, there is no need to be so rude. He’s a man, after all. He’s a warlock." "I thought the proper term was Wizard?" "Silence!" The woman’s shout quelled the mumbling of the knights as they stood at attention once more. She glared at Linus who was still casually eating his food as though he hadn’t been attacked. "We were correct to suspect you, outsider. You are a Wizard and by the law of our land, we must apprehend you before you use your magic on the whole kingdom." Linus will adopt a look of shock as the knight bounced off. "A barrier you say? Are you sure your soldier didn't just forget how to use his sword?" He'll say with a voice of disbelief. Taking another bite of his sandwich, he'll put his arm out before pushing the half-eaten food through the space that the sword had just failed to penetrate. "Either your man is bad, or this sandwich is the greatest sword in this building." He said before raising the sub into the air, "I dub thee Club-calibar!" Chuckling to himself, he paused for a moment before taking a more serious tone, "So I'm gonna ask once again, can y'all just leave me alone and let me get on with my day before this goes a lot farther than any of us really want." He paused for a moment, "Or if you're minds are already made up due to superstition and an itchy sword hand, just tell me either way and we can figure out how this day is gonna go. Your choice." "So what'll it be... Ice Queen?" The Knight Commander's eyes narrowed as she stared at the cocky young man, feeling her instinct telling her that there was more to him than he already displayed. He was an unknown variable within the kingdom she served and that made him incredibly dangerous. Nonetheless, she had a job to do as she clicked her tongue in annoyance, her knights drew their blades in preparation for the command of their superior. "Capture him." With those words said, the knights rushed forward as they moved to flank Linus and arrest him. For the glory fo their kingdom! Linus sighed as he pulled a stack of bills out of his shirt pocket. "This should cover any damages," He said quietly as he tossed it behind him to the bartender. He raised his voice as he addressed the commander directly, "Don't say I didn't warn you. I just wanted to buy my shit and leave." As the knights spread out across the room to attack Linus from all angles, he didn't stay still. Taking a bite from his sandwich, he leaned back and pushed on the bar with his free hand, lifting up and away from his stool as he pulled a handstand on the bar. As Linus righted himself, he drew his sharpened heel across the bar, etching into it as his foot passed. Linus's feet hit the floor behind the bar as the first knight attempted to sweep the bar with his blade. A sweep that ran right into the line Linus had just drawn, his blade bouncing off of it like the other. The young man sprinted down behind the bar, drawing his sword with his free hand as he took another bite of his sandwich. The next knight reached him most of the way down, trying to swing his blade to stop his dash. Steel met steel as Linus blocked the swing with one of his own, the knight's sword coming apart like butter under the caress of the straight sabre. The two pieces flew to either side of Linus as he continued on. Linus slid to a stop in front of the kitchen door with a false look of shock. "You should really look where you're swinging that thing, could put someone's eye out. But if you'll bid me adieu." Linus tackled the kitchen door open, crossing the room in mere seconds as he brought his sword up to the back entrance. The wooden slat and door securing it parted as easily as the blade before it as Linus slashed through it. His blade flashed out one final time in his flight, etching across the door jam as he slid on his feet out into the street behind the building. Turning around, the young pirate merely smiled as he beckoned the knights to follow him, the last bite of his sandwich still in his fingers.